World Bee Day

Did you know that 20 May is World Bee Day?  Although called World Bee Day, the day is not just dedicated to bees, but all kinds of pollinators, including species of butterflies, moths, wasps, beetles, birds and bats. Started in 2017 by the United Nations, the aim is to encourage us to do more to help and protect these special insects. 
The global population of bees is sadly in decline thanks to factors like toxic pesticides, loss of habitats and climate change.  Why are bees important?

• The world would be in serious trouble if bees were to go extinct - and unfortunately, a world without the fuzzy pollinators is becoming more of a possibility;
• Bees, and other pollinators, are responsible for nearly three quarters of the plants that produce 90 per cent of the world’s food, meaning a third of the world’s food production depends on bees;
• While there are other methods of pollination, such as by the wind and other animals, wild bees are among the most important pollinators because they are able to pollinate on a much larger scale, according to the Woodland Trust. It estimates that it would cost UK farmers £1.8 billion per year to manually pollinate their crops;
• Bees play a crucial role in increasing crop yields and promoting food security and nutrition. Without them, we could lose a variety of food such as potatoes, pepper, coffee, pumpkins, carrots, apples, almonds, tomatoes, just to name a few.

What can we do?

• Make your garden bee friendly by growing a range of flowers so that bees have access to nectar from March to October. Bees love traditional cottage garden flowers and native wildflowers, such as primrose, buddleia and marigolds;
• Build, or buy, an “insect hotel” which provides a sheltered home for bees and other insects;
• Revive a tired bee with some sugar water - mix two teaspoons of white granulated sugar with one teaspoon of water and place it on a plate, or drip it on a flower, to give a bee a boost;
• Buy sustainable honey – managed properly, bee farming can be very beneficial for wild bee populations. When choosing your honey, try to go for something local, from individual beekeepers who practice sustainability.

So, this weekend, why not brave the rain and make a bee hotel, otherwise known as a Bee B&B!